1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to access panels and heating registers and more particularly to a frame construction and method of mounting the frame for receiving an access panel or heating register.
2. Description of Related Art
Moore, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,078, discloses a connection flange used to fasten a floor register to a precut hole while providing a connection for an air duct fitting. A face with a generally rectangular inner and outer perimeter has a tubular member with a first end extending from the inner perimeter of the face and a second end, the tubular member contains a continuous channel open to the second end to allow insertion of an end portion of the fitting. The channel has a plurality of teeth extending into the channel to provide a retaining means for the fitting. The fitting comprises one or more protuberances located along the surface of the fitting adjacent to the end portion of the fitting, where the protuberances are positioned to allow movement of the fitting only in a direction which moves the fitting closer to the face. Snyder, U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,115, discloses a register opening cover used to cover register openings until a register boot is installed in the register opening. During the installation of the register boot, the invention may be used to hold the register boot in place until the register boot is securely connected to the floor. After the register boot is installed, the cover forms an insulator around the register boot. One embodiment of the invention provides a register opening cover and register boot frame that can be configured to fit register boots of different sizes. Another embodiment of the invention provides a register opening cover that will support some of the weight of a worker who may step on the covered register opening. Sarazen, Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,380, discloses a modular forced-air register including two main sub-assemblies. A housing with an opening can be disposed into a hole in the floor of a room. A second sub-assembly includes a louver plate with a grid work of tri-directional vanes. Air flow is controlled by a slide grille disposed beneath the grid work and carrying an integral filter substrate secured to the slide grille. The two sub-assemblies are detachably connected to each other by an arrangement of bosses and recesses as well as a projection mounted on a flexible tang configured and disposed to engage a pocket configured in a thin wall region of the opposing sub-assembly. Arnoldt, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,724, discloses a plurality of flange members positioned oppositely of one another on the ends of a pair of generally rectangular sheet metal ducts. The flange members are positioned in pairs on the adjacent ends of the ducts. The angular legs of corner pieces extend into the ends of the flange members to connect the adjacent flange members on the end of each duct so that four corner pieces connect the flange members to form a frame around the respective duct end portion. The oppositely positioned flange members on the adjacent duct end portions are sealingly secured together by clamping together the adjacent corner pieces. Each flange member is formed by a thin walled sheet member and includes a pair of legs angularly disposed relative to one another to form a plurality of wall sections. A first wall section terminates in a first leg end portion, and a second wall section terminates in a second leg end portion. The first and second leg end portions are spaced apart. The first and second wall sections are positioned in overlying relation to receive the duct end portion therebetween. The duct end portion overlies the second wall section which extends around and below the duct end portion to a stop on the second leg end portion. The stop engages a plurality of protuberances or dimples on the surface of the duct adjacent the duct end portion to prevent retraction of the duct end portion from the flange member. The first leg end portion forms an abutment shoulder, and the duct end portion engages the abutment shoulder. Thus, the duct is rigidly secured between the stop and the abutment shoulder, thereby, eliminating freedom of movement between the flange wall sections to provide a torsionally rigid connection of each flange member to the duct end portion that resists bending of adjacent flange members away from each other to prevent air leakage at the duct joint. Johnson, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,445, A disposable filter for heating and ventilating registers wherein a supporting framework includes apertures with removable cover portions which permit selective air flow, means for securing the framework to the register or adjacent structural members and re-closable means for admitting a filter element to an interior cavity. In alternative configurations, differing filter media or replacement media may be mounted to the framework. A separately attached border trim may also be included for oversize registers. Also considered is a finish cover including means for retaining the filter to the cover and the cover to the ductwork port.
Our prior art search described above teaches the construction of registers including register frames. However, the prior art fails to teach a simple extruded frame made up of linear sections and joined by L-shaped tab elements. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary and detailed description.